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Eye disease treatments - glaucoma
Category: Medicines
Type
Involuntary and voluntary
Introduction and description
Glaucoma is a common eye condition in which the fluid pressure inside the eye rises to a level higher than healthy for that eye. If untreated, it may damage the optic nerve, causing the loss of vision or even blindness.
The ideal is of course to find out what is attacking the optic nerve and eye – the pathogen or condition.
Parasites – such as those picked up from the domestic cat are one cause of glaucoma. But viruses, bacteria and toxins can also affect the eye. Another cause is radiation – if the fluid in the eye resonates to an electromagnetic signal of some sort, the eye may swell and damage may occur. Bulging eyes can also be caused by thyroid problems, so again this needs to be investigated first before these medications are used.
Bulging eyes can be a side effect of diabetes and high blood pressure.
We have a more general section on eye disease treatments to which it is worth referring, this page covers eye drops used to help the eye's fluid to drain better and decrease the amount of fluid made by the eye.
We have grouped all the figures by the classes of drug so that it is easier to see the effects. All the figures for both hallucinations and deaths come from the eHealthme website and are a summary of the Adverse Drug Reports submitted by doctors to the FDA and SEDA. Thus US figures only and not the rest of the world. This is why some drugs cannot be included – no figures exist because they are sold outside the USA
In June 2016, eHealthme ceased to provide the information on which all the data in this section is based. On querying my friends in the USA, it would seem that many of the sites that provided similar information, have done the same. The links we provided to eHealthme also no longer work as this data too has been removed.
As to why all these sites have removed exceptionally important information, my USA helpers said that more and more people are questioning what they are being given – and demanding to know WHY the CAUSE of their illness has not been investigated. It appears that there has been a very heartening increase in the numbers of people who want to be healed – have the cause tackled and not the symptoms. And this is ‘not popular’ with the conventional medical community, who cannot make money from well people.
The statistics collected from eHealthme remain valid for the date they were collected. As such we have left this section as it is – an historical record. Please read this section therefore only as an historical record of the figures that were applicable on the date specified.
Prostaglandin analogs
Synthetic prostaglandin analogues are molecules which are manufactured to bind to a prostaglandin receptor. They are taken as eye drops and are used to reduce intraocular pressure in people who have open-angle glaucoma. The use of prostaglandin analogues has been restricted by unwanted side effects – one of which as you can see below is death and another is their abortive potential.
Drug |
No of hallucinations |
Latanoprost/Xalatan |
80 |
Travoprost/Travatan |
14 |
Unoprostone/Rescula |
- |
Lumigan/Bimatoprost |
22 |
It was noticed that one side effect of these drugs was that they appeared to thicken eyelashes. Several cosmetics companies have consequently released products based on prostaglandin analogs, as non-drug cosmetics [some without FDA approval]. The cosmetic formulation of bimatoprost, for example, is sold as Latisse. Other products include
- Age Intervention Eyelash by Jan Marini Skin Research
- RevitaLash by Athena Cosmetics Corp.
Using the eHealthme ADRs for these products as submitted by doctors to the FDA and SEDA we find the following:
Latanoprost
- On Aug, 1, 2015: 3,175 people reported to have side effects when taking Latanoprost. Among them, 60 people (1.89%) have Death
- On Aug, 31, 2015: 14,398 people reported to have side effects when taking Xalatan. Among them, 359 people (2.49%) have Death
Travoprost
- On Aug, 12, 2015: 2,430 people reported to have side effects when taking Travatan. Among them, 43 people (1.77%) have Death
- On Aug, 31, 2015: 338 people reported to have side effects when taking Travoprost. Among them, 11 people (3.25%) have Death
Lumigan
- On Aug, 9, 2015: 3,659 people reported to have side effects when taking Lumigan. Among them, 64 people (1.75%) have Death
- On Aug, 31, 2015: 254 people reported to have side effects when taking Bimatoprost. Among them, 2 people (0.79%) have Death
Alpha Agonists
Alpha agonists are supposed to decrease production of fluid and increase drainage. Alphagan P has a purite preservative that breaks down into natural tear components and is intended to be more effective for people who have allergic reactions to preservatives in other eye drops. Side effects can include burning or stinging upon instillation of the eye drop, fatigue, headache, drowsiness, dry mouth and dry nose.
Drug |
No of hallucinations |
- |
|
25 |
Alphagan and its trade names
- Alphagan - On Aug, 18, 2015: 3,332 people reported to have side effects when taking Alphagan. Among them, 71 people (2.13%) have Death
- Alphagan P - On Aug, 22, 2015: 484 people reported to have side effects when taking Alphagan p. Among them, 8 people (1.65%) have Death
- Brimonidine - On Aug, 6, 2015: 777 people reported to have side effects when taking Brimonidine tartrate. Among them, 19 people (2.45%) have Death
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers are intended to decrease production of intraocular fluid. Side effects can include low blood pressure, reduced pulse rate, and fatigue. Beta blockers can also cause a shortness of breath in people who have a history of asthma or other respiratory disorders. Additionally, beta blockers can change cardiac activity by decreasing the amount of blood the heart pumps out, which may reduce the pulse rate and/or slow down the heart's response rate during exercise.
Drug |
No of hallucinations |
Timolol Maleate / Istalol / Timoptic-XE |
67 |
Betoptic / Betaxolol HCI |
14 |
Betagan / Levobunolol HCI |
3 |
- |
|
Betimol / Timolol hemihydrate |
- |
Timolol
- On Aug, 8, 2015: 3,650 people reported to have side effects when taking Timolol maleate. Among them, 69 people (1.89%) have Death
- On Sep, 1, 2015: 2,959 people reported to have side effects when taking Timoptic. Among them, 62 people (2.10%) have Death
- On Sep, 1, 2015: 421 people reported to have side effects when taking Timoptic-xe. Among them, 4 people (0.95%) have Death
- On Aug, 20, 2015: 76 people reported to have side effects when taking Istalol. Among them, 1 people (1.32%) has Death
Betoptic
- On Aug, 28, 2015: 771 people reported to have side effects when taking Betoptic. Among them, 6 people (0.78%) have Death
- On Aug, 24, 2015: 138 people reported to have side effects when taking Betoptic s. Among them, 1 people (0.72%) has Death
- On Aug, 21, 2015: 796 people reported to have side effects when taking Betaxolol. Among them, 10 people (1.26%) have Death.
Betagan
- On Aug, 22, 2015: 364 people reported to have side effects when taking Betagan. Among them, 8 people (2.20%) have Death
- On Sep, 1, 2015: 108 people reported to have side effects when taking Levobunolol hydrochloride. Among them, 1 people (0.93%) has Death
Betimol
- On Aug, 15, 2015: 229 people reported to have side effects when taking Betimol. Among them, 19 people (8.30%) have Death
Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) are intended to reduce eye pressure by decreasing the production of intraocular fluid. These are available as eye drops and as pills.
Drug |
No of hallucinations |
Azopt / Brinzolamide |
9 |
1 |
|
7 |
|
Acetazolamide / Diamox |
19 |
Acetazolamide
- On Aug, 29, 2015: 1,226 people reported to have side effects when taking Acetazolamide. Among them, 17 people (1.39%) have Death
- On Aug, 17, 2015: 1,908 people reported to have side effects when taking Diamox. Among them, 39 people (2.04%) have Death
Azopt
- On Aug, 22, 2015: 1,560 people reported to have side effects when taking Azopt. Among them, 7 people (0.45%) have Death
Trusopt
- On Sep, 1, 2015: 1,929 people reported to have side effects when taking Trusopt. Among them, 26 people (1.35%) have Death
- On Aug, 14, 2015: 171 people reported to have side effects when taking Dorzolamide hydrochloride. Among them, 1 people (0.58%) has Death
Combined Medications
Combined medications are used for people who use more than one type of medication. In addition to the convenience of using one eyedrop bottle instead of two, "there is a financial advantage". Combigan is a combination of beta blocker and alpha agonist. Cosopt is a combination of beta blocker and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. Simbrinza is a combination of Brinzolamide (a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor) and Brimonidine (an alpha agonist).
Drug |
No of hallucinations |
Combigan / Brimonidine Tartrate & Timolol Maleate |
6 |
Cosopt/ Dorzolomide HCI & Timolol Maleate |
22 |
Simbrinza Suspension / Brinzolamide/Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic suspension |
- |
Combigan - On Aug, 28, 2015: 1,220 people reported to have side effects when taking Combigan. Among them, 8 people (0.66%) have Death
Cosopt - On Aug, 23, 2015: 2,885 people reported to have side effects when taking Cosopt. Among them, 58 people (2.01%) have Death
Cholinergic (Miotics)
In contrast to the anticholinergics there are also drugs that do the opposite called cholinomimetics. They behave like acetylcholine and are also called cholinergic agonists.
They are used in treating glaucoma, or for use during ophthalmic surgery. In topical ocular and intraocular administration its principal effects are miosis and ‘increased aqueous humour outflow’ – less pressure on the eyeball. Miosis means constriction of the pupil. The opposite condition, mydriasis, is the dilation of the pupil.
Eye drops and occasionally injections are used to decrease intraocular pressure in people with primary open-angle glaucoma.
This class of drugs was covered in the general section on eye disease treatments. The drugs are listed under 'drugs to help with surgery - reflecting their dual role.
How it works
Why the hallucinations? It is possible that the drugs manages to find its way into the brain via the olfactory bulb. Thus is we don’t press the tear duct hard to stop the eye drops from entering the nose, and if we should be so unwise as to swallow and sniff instead of blowing out the gunge, we have provided a route for the contents of the eye drops to get into the brain and body. See general section on eye disease treatments.
Related observations
Healing observations
- Chocolate, Gingko biloba, bilberries and glaucoma 005654
- Dr Duke's list of chemicals and activity for the Shallot 017969
- Dr Duke's list of Chemicals and their Biological Activities in Pilocarpus racemosus 018159
- Dr Duke's list of Chemicals and their Biological Activities in: Prunella vulgaris L. (Lamiaceae) -- Heal-All, Self-Heal 018270
- Dr Duke's list of Eye disease treatment activity for the Dog Rose 018093
- Dr Duke's list of plants having high concentrations of Estrogenic activity 017893
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antiglaucomic activity 019952
- Is low dose of estrogen beneficial for prevention of glaucoma? 017894
- Oestrogen, ocular function and low-level vision: a review 017933
- Riboflavin Deficiency as a cause of disease 027370
- The Ketogenic Diet: Making a Comeback 026610
- The ocular benefits of estrogen replacement therapy: a population-based study in postmenopausal Korean women 017932
Hallucination
- Acetazolamide and Diamox 017597
- Acetazolamide and Diamox 005059
- Alphagan and Brimonidine 017599
- Betoptic and Betaxolol 017610
- Blind artist Arthur Ellis, 66, paints his visual hallucinations 025260
- Blocadren 018049
- Brain injury associated with widely abused amphetamines: neuroinflammation, neurogenesis and blood-brain barrier 023922
- Fluorescite 019064
- Kerlone 019242
- Latanoprost and Xalatan 017594
- Lumigan and Bimatoprost 017596
- Neptazane 019678
- Ocupress 019730
- Pilocarpine Hydrochloride and Pilopine Hs 019847
- Salagen 020016
- Timolol maleate and Timoptic 017609
- Timoptic & Timoptic-xe 020210
- Travoprost and Travatan 017595
- Visual hallucinations in ophthalmology 025261